Italian priests opting for distinctive clerical garb?

March 18, 2009

Italian priests are becoming more concerned about presenting a proper clerical appearance, according to a major retailer in ecclesiastical apparel. Mastranzo, a firm that produces clerical clothing, reports a rise in orders for cassocks for street wear. About 30% of Italian priests choose to wear cassocks, the firm says, while 40% opt for black trousers and Roman collars, and another 30% dress in a "scruffy manner." Mastranzo says that Pope Benedict's call for a renewal of priestly morale-- in his announcement of a Year of the Priesthood-- as a possible reason for the trend toward a sharper clerical image.

 

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Further information:

• Pope asks priests to smarten up (ANSA)